Glen Este's top scorer Tyler Flanigan (third from right) was forced to the bench against Loveland after an ankle injury. Minus him, coach Dave Caldwell?s Trojans lost to Loveland 69-62.
Scott Springer/ Community Press
Glen Este's top scorer Tyler Flanigan (third from right) was forced to the bench against Loveland after an ankle injury. Minus him, coach Dave Caldwell's Trojans lost to Loveland 69-62.(Photo: The Enquirer/Scott Springer)Buy Photo

MARIEMONT - Roughly a month after Mariemont High School saw their head basketball coach resign, they have a new one. Dave Caldwell, who formerly coached at Glen Este, will take over the Warriors.

Caldwell most recently assisted Joe Cambron at Milford. The Eagles were 8-6 in the difficult Eastern Cincinnati Conference and 11-12 overall. He previously was head coach at Glen Este until 2015. The Trojans and Barons of Amelia merged into West Clermont with Craig Mazzaro taking over this season.

Prior to the ECC, Glen Este competed in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference with Caldwell's Trojans going 16-5 overall in 2011 and 15-5 in 2010.

"The Mariemont job came open kind of late," Caldwell said. "I interviewed and a day or two later they called and said I was their guy."

The Warriors last shared a Cincinnati Hills League title in 2011 with Finneytown and Reading and last won the league outright in 1998.

"It's a great district and they get a pretty good class of kids every now and again," Caldwell said. "This should be a good deal."

At Mariemont, Caldwell will be doing what's necessary at most CHL schools: seeking athletes to participate in more than one sport. He's already begun to forge relationships with some of the current coaching staff.

"Even at big Division I schools now, you have to share athletes," Caldwell said. "If you don't have a relationship with those other coaches, they might not be flexible for you if you're not flexible for them."

Between now and next month, Caldwell will be compiling a staff. Many of his former players over the years are older and experienced and may be in the mix.

"I'm at the age now where I have a lot of older players that are coaching now whether they're guys I had at McNick in the late '90s or Glen Este guys," he said. "I'm talking to a lot of people right now. Hopefully, before the school year starts we'll have a good group."

Caldwell plans on getting the Warriors involved in some familiar shootouts but will be respectful to the time commitments of athletes involved in football, baseball and other activities in the busy month of June.

"I just want to see what we've got and get a game plan of what kind of offense and defense we want to run when winter comes around," Caldwell said.

Having coached previously in the Greater Catholic League, Fort Ancient Valley Conference and Eastern Cincinnati League, this will be his first foray into the CHL which has turned out a fair share of notable athletes.

"It's the neighborhood schools," Caldwell said. "I think that's really cool. It's a great league. I love the neighborhood aspect. Any time I see a CHL game, the gyms are nearly always packed."